Last Tuesday we left our house at 5:20am to drive to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. My sister lives there and she planned our family reunion this year. We pulled our trailer and 4-wheelers so we wouldn’t have to get a hotel room and by staying on Katie’s property we were closer and could all spend more time together.
On our way to Katie’s house we stopped just outside of Dinosaur to go to the Visitor’s Center and the dinosaur quarry. We thought the kids would have fun and like the fossils at the quarry. It turns out the Quarry is closed for renovation and there is a temporary visitor center. There wasn’t as much to do there as we thought but we did attend a Junior Ranger Program with the kids and took some pictures.
After 11 hours, we made it to Katie’s. It was great to be able to set up camp right in her driveway. She lives about 10 miles north of Steamboat in the country. It is so beautiful and green. There is a huge barn and horses on their property. The kids were able to ride the four wheelers right in their pasture, just making sure the horses were always moved to an adjoining pasture. Zman loved being the one to open the gates and herding the horses. Last year there was a fox family living under one of the sheds, but not this year. Tiffany and Allen arrived in the middle of the night and then Dad and Denise arrived the following afternoon and also set their trailer up in the driveway.
The next day we went into Steamboat to explore. Of course, Randy had to take the kids to the candy store. The same one we went to everyday when we were here to ski. It drives me crazy!!! We also went to the Alpine Slide and it seemed the kids had unlimited rides.
Kris and Ashton arrived the following morning. Another day in town, another day at the candy store and another day at the Alpine Slide. DH never holds back when we’re on vacation.
The following day we took all the four-wheelers and a motorcycle Rodney had borrowed up above Steamboat Lake and spent the day riding. Well, the others spent the day riding. I stayed in the car trying to keep away from the mosquitoes and entertaining the doodle.
Saturday, we all got up at the butt-crack of dawn to go to the balloon rodeo. We had never been to one, and this is an annual festival in Steamboat. We were right on the field as 32 balloons were being rolled out, set up, filled with air and taking off. The noise from the propane fires that heat the air was incredible. We could not believe there were so many in that one field. Some were even bumping into each other as they filled and took off. Later in the day, Katie had craft activities planned for the kids, so Rodney, Allen and Randy took the atv’s back up to the trails they had started to ride the day before. The kids each decorated 2009 Wilstead Family Reunion shirts.
Sunday was pretty much just packing up and getting on the road. We made it about 30 miles out of town and Tiffany and Allen blew a tire on their trailer, with no spare. We drove on to Craig hoping to be able to purchase a replacement tire and rim at Wal-Mart, but we weren’t so lucky. Randy looks at his watch and said it’s 12:05, church is just letting out, lets find a member that lives in Hayden (the town where Tiff and Allen were stuck). Sure enough, when we find the Craig chapel, one of the ward’s had just ended (turns out Craig has 3 wards) and Randy was able to find a member willing to let Tiff and Allen leave the trailer for a week. Since my niece came home with us, hopefully we can get a tire and pick the trailer up next week when we take her back. The kids loved playing at McDonalds while all this was going on. And again, 11 hours later, we made it home. (Straight though drive is only 5 ½ hours.)
In all, it was really a fun reunion. Whoever plans next year’s is going to have a hard time topping Katie’s.
On our way to Katie’s house we stopped just outside of Dinosaur to go to the Visitor’s Center and the dinosaur quarry. We thought the kids would have fun and like the fossils at the quarry. It turns out the Quarry is closed for renovation and there is a temporary visitor center. There wasn’t as much to do there as we thought but we did attend a Junior Ranger Program with the kids and took some pictures.
After 11 hours, we made it to Katie’s. It was great to be able to set up camp right in her driveway. She lives about 10 miles north of Steamboat in the country. It is so beautiful and green. There is a huge barn and horses on their property. The kids were able to ride the four wheelers right in their pasture, just making sure the horses were always moved to an adjoining pasture. Zman loved being the one to open the gates and herding the horses. Last year there was a fox family living under one of the sheds, but not this year. Tiffany and Allen arrived in the middle of the night and then Dad and Denise arrived the following afternoon and also set their trailer up in the driveway.
The next day we went into Steamboat to explore. Of course, Randy had to take the kids to the candy store. The same one we went to everyday when we were here to ski. It drives me crazy!!! We also went to the Alpine Slide and it seemed the kids had unlimited rides.
Kris and Ashton arrived the following morning. Another day in town, another day at the candy store and another day at the Alpine Slide. DH never holds back when we’re on vacation.
The following day we took all the four-wheelers and a motorcycle Rodney had borrowed up above Steamboat Lake and spent the day riding. Well, the others spent the day riding. I stayed in the car trying to keep away from the mosquitoes and entertaining the doodle.
Saturday, we all got up at the butt-crack of dawn to go to the balloon rodeo. We had never been to one, and this is an annual festival in Steamboat. We were right on the field as 32 balloons were being rolled out, set up, filled with air and taking off. The noise from the propane fires that heat the air was incredible. We could not believe there were so many in that one field. Some were even bumping into each other as they filled and took off. Later in the day, Katie had craft activities planned for the kids, so Rodney, Allen and Randy took the atv’s back up to the trails they had started to ride the day before. The kids each decorated 2009 Wilstead Family Reunion shirts.
Sunday was pretty much just packing up and getting on the road. We made it about 30 miles out of town and Tiffany and Allen blew a tire on their trailer, with no spare. We drove on to Craig hoping to be able to purchase a replacement tire and rim at Wal-Mart, but we weren’t so lucky. Randy looks at his watch and said it’s 12:05, church is just letting out, lets find a member that lives in Hayden (the town where Tiff and Allen were stuck). Sure enough, when we find the Craig chapel, one of the ward’s had just ended (turns out Craig has 3 wards) and Randy was able to find a member willing to let Tiff and Allen leave the trailer for a week. Since my niece came home with us, hopefully we can get a tire and pick the trailer up next week when we take her back. The kids loved playing at McDonalds while all this was going on. And again, 11 hours later, we made it home. (Straight though drive is only 5 ½ hours.)
In all, it was really a fun reunion. Whoever plans next year’s is going to have a hard time topping Katie’s.
1 comment:
Looks like you guys had so much fun. Love the pictures of the hot air balloons. That would be neat to see.
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